…where shit happens

Horrible Snack – The Moon Is A Biscuit And It Rises From Mt. Brione [Album Review]

Albums jump out at you for different reasons; some because they appear to hit so many of your sweet spots, others because they are slathered with bizarrely intriguing weirdness. By way of uncreative writing, you have probably guessed that this is very much the latter.

Everything about this album at first glance sends you on a mini trip; the weird fuzzy pastel artwork, all of the titles… I know I have mentioned numerous times about liking something different and out there with the music I listen to, that has certainly been delivered by Horrible Snack.

First impressions aside, the music itself is full of quirks. By way of comparison, I get certain vibes similar to early At The Drive-In or Braid, with the abstract structures and melodies fed through indie/alternative tones with a punked up edge to the whole delivery. The whole sound to the album doesn’t necessarily differ, but the approach and feel to the songs aren’t by any means samey.

Opening track, An Indian Alcoholist, is one of the more up-beat and easier to listen to tracks, with more discernible hooks, where closer, When The Spacemen Watch The Space Shuttle Burns, is a 10 minute feast of experimental punk, indie and alternative rock. There are plenty of moments where Horrible Snack sound like a simple, decent punk rock band, but little quirks to the guitars and bass let normality slip away, which seem to push the boat (or biscuit) further out as the album progresses.

Although not an album that is in your face, it is quite garish and busy, and unfortunately could easily become lost on the listener. This is definitely one of those albums that you need to give attention and focus to soak up all that is within, and Horrible Snack do deserve that from you, even if just for an initial listen. Although one listen isn’t really enough for The Moon Is A Biscuit…; there is a lot going on in there. As a rule, I will not review something that I have listened to less than five times, this album needed a lot more listening time, especially as my attention was lost here and there.

For avid fans of more outlandish and experimental music, this should be at home for you. Anyone else would need to be prepared to shut off from the world to give Horrible Snack a chance. Although this would probably be a major drawback, this really isn’t in the same field as serious prog music and is a lot more light hearted and fun. Hence, I feel this may still appeal to a lot of people out there and retains enough fresh elements to stand out.

I feel like I’ve rambled without making any real point. Short story, I feel this is a perfect one for a sleepless night to really fuck your head into its place. In a good way.

Rating: 7 biscuits

Jake Hancke – 31/05/2017

The Moon Is A Biscuit And It Rises From Mt. Brione is available now via Bandcamp.